All the minutes
by Nival Vixen
Summary: COMPLETE! One Halloween night, three new vampires are brought into being. Their creation causes problems in the vampire world, and these three must fight in order to survive the deadly consequences. Draco/Ginny/Blaise
1. Between the minutes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter!

**Ships:  
**Draco/Ginevra/Blaise  
Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)

Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_First instalment of the Halloween series._

**Happy Halloween**!

...

Upon waking up, Blaise wasn't quite sure what had happened the night before.

He remembered being upset because his lovers, Draco and Ginevra, had gone out of town for the night, leaving him alone in the house. The next minute, he was at the Hog's Head, intent on getting completely smashed to ease his pain. The third minute had him stumbling out of the pub, wrapped around a complete stranger. And now, the fourth and final minute, he was alone and naked in bed, with the worst hangover he'd ever experienced, and a sore neck to boot.

Blaise muttered to himself, rubbing his head to try and ease the throbbing pain. As he began to rub his neck to ease that pain, he frowned, feeling two unfamiliar bumps. As he hurried to the adjoining bathroom, Blaise's hangover became the least of his worries.

He remembered what happened between the minutes.

...

_First minute_

Blaise looked around the house with a depressed sigh. Draco and Ginevra had only been gone a few hours at the most, and he was already bored in the big house without them. The house-elves had disappeared at his request, and now he was wishing that he hadn't sent them away quite so thoughtlessly. At least he would have had some fun annoying the little creatures. He contemplated destroying the vase to see if they would return, but knew that even if they did, his fun would be short-lived.

As there were no house-elves, there was subsequently no food in the house. If there was, Blaise didn't know how to prepare it, and he wouldn't eat inedible food if he didn't absolutely have to. Even worse, there was no alcohol in the house since they'd gotten _very_ drunk the night before.

Muttering to himself, Blaise considered going to the _Three Broomsticks_. He immediately decided against that, as the Quidditch finals were on and that meant a whole lot of screaming fans. Not really the atmosphere he wanted while he was feeling quite so depressed. Muggle places were definitely out. The _Hog's Head_ was the closest pub to their house within walking distance.

_If he _**_did_**_ get completely smashed, then it would be easier to get home_, he thought to himself.

Grabbing his warmest robe, Blaise left the house and headed down to the Hog's Head.

...

Looking at his neck, Blaise saw that the two lumps on his neck were actually two scabs that looked remarkably like teeth marks.

**Fuck.**

...

_Second minute_

Blaise walked into the Hog's Head, surprised to see that it was almost empty. Not even all of the regulars were in the bar tonight.

"What are you doing here tonight, Zabini? Where's Malfoy and the Weaselette?" Aberforth asked with a grin.

"They're out of town," Blaise muttered, sitting at the bar. "Where's the rest of the regulars?"

"It's All Hallow's Eve tonight. Sanguini let's his wife, Lady Carmilla Sanguina out on her own for tonight. She likes to come here. Better drinks, or something. I have to give out free drinks just to keep a half of the regulars here tonight," Aberforth muttered.

"Isn't she the one that bathes in her victims blood or something?" Blaise asked, looking over to the woman sitting at a table.

She was holding a clear goblet, filled with a red liquid that he was sure wasn't wine.

"Apparently so, but I don't listen to gossip myself," Aberforth said with a smirk. "Besides, as long as there's no blood bathing in my inn, I'll be quite happy," he muttered, smirking again.

"Well, if she leaves me alone, then I'll leave her be," Blaise muttered, turning back to the bar.

He just wanted to get drunk and wallow in self pity.

...

_What happened after that?_ Blaise thought, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

He tentatively touched the bite marks again, images surfacing in his mind.

...

_Third minute_

"You should not be alone on this glorious night," a silky voice said behind him.

"I want to be alone, thank you, Lady Carmilla," Blaise said, downing yet another drink.

His words were starting to slur, and his pain was beginning to subside, but just barely.

"Another drink for the gentleman and I, Aberforth," Carmilla murmured, then left to her seat again.

Aberforth nodded, pouring another Firewhisky for Blaise, then going to the back room to get the drink for the Vampiress.

Blaise nodded at Carmilla in thanks. His action made the room spin, and he had to wait a moment before he could turn back to the bar and his drink.

Blaise had another five Firewhisky's before Carmilla returned to the bar with an empty glass.

"You will not be able to think straight after consuming all of this alcohol," she murmured.

_It sounded as if she was whispering straight into his ear, but that wasn't right... She was standing near him, but not that close. Wasn't she?_

"Don't rightly care," Blaise muttered in return, throwing back the last of his drink.

"You should," she murmured, her voice in his ear again. "Someone may take advantage of you."

Carmilla smiled seductively at him, returning to her seat with her filled goblet.

_She was nice-looking, really. If you liked almost-transparent skin, blood-red lips and fangs..._

Blaise looked away again. He _definitely_ hadn't drunk enough yet.

"Aberforth?" he called.

"Another one, Zabini? Yer going to send me to ruin," Aberforth muttered, but poured him another Firewhisky nonetheless.

"I can pay for it," he exclaimed, his words slurring again.

"I'm sure ye can ... Shut up and have yer drink," Aberforth said, shaking his head.

Blaise managed a lopsided smirk and did as he was told.

"I see that you did not heed my warning," Carmilla whispered in his ear.

Blaise muttered something in return, his words completely incoherant.

"Do you remember how to get home?" she asked.

"'Course I do!" he slurred, looking at his feet.

_Had they always been shaped like that?_ he wondered, squinting.

"I should take you home," Carmilla murmured, her cold hands moving around his body smoothly.

"Lady Carmilla? Perhaps the boy should stay here for the night," Aberforth suggested.

"And get a disease from one of those things you have the gall to call a room? I think not, Aberforth," she laughed off, a stern edge to her voice. "Oh, so you are worried for his safety? I will not hurt him, I promise," Carmilla said silkily.

She lifted Blaise easily and left the _Hog's Head_ before Aberforth could protest. Blaise wrapped his arms around Carmilla and nestled into her, the alcohol making him sleepy.

Aberforth shook his head. _Promise or not, he was still worried. Lady Carmilla was not known for keeping promises, especially to people who weren't her husband. Not only that, but the willing blood supply she had in her hands would probably prove to be far too tempting, no matter how tainted his blood currently was._

Sighing heavily, he started to shut the inn. He could call Sanguini once he had finished.

Despite getting directions from Blaise, Carmilla took three wrong turns and it took her fifteen minutes to find the house when it should have only taken ten.

Blaise took a while to open the door, his fogged and alcohol-riddled brain forgetting that the door was spelled shut, and what the spell was to unlock it.

As soon as he was inside, Blaise called out for Draco and Ginevra. They didn't return his call and his shoulders sagged visibly.

"Are you all right?" Carmilla asked, walking into the foyer and placing a cool hand on his shoulder.

"Fine," Blaise muttered, not looking at her.

Carmilla just smiled at him. Moving his chin with a strong hand, she kissed him hungrily, biting at his lower lip.

Blaise's eyes widened. _What was she doing? She wasn't supposed to be doing this!_

"No," he said, pushing her away.

"Do you really mean that?" she murmured, her voice in his ear again.

She seemed to twirl around his body, confusing his mind further. He was dizzy and in seconds was falling towards the ground. Carmilla caught him, holding him against her body with a firm arm.

"Let go," he slurred.

"Oh, I could not even think of doing that, my dear. Not while you are in such a vulnerable state," she crooned, her ice-cold hand stroking his neck lightly.

Blaise shivered in her arms, yet he was unable to leave her grasp.

"One taste will not hurt," Carmilla murmured, almost to herself.

She lowered her mouth to Blaise's neck, licking it softly before biting into his dark flesh.

Blaise felt his blood spill into her mouth, and froze completely. His emotions gripped at him, combining fear and pleasure in a way that made him wonder if he should be enjoying this.

"Carmilla! Your promise!" Sanguini yelled, standing at the door looking mighty angry.

Carmilla dropped Blaise, snarling at her husband with blood-stained lips.

"His blood is so sweet. Care for a try?" she sneered.

"You know our rules, Carmilla. Now come with me before you kill the boy!" Sanguini demanded, glaring at his wife angrily, his eyes glowing red.

Blaise watched as Carmilla left the foyer, muttering in a such a fast and low way that he did not understand a single word she said. He started to see black as his blood continued to pump out of the open wounds.

"Go home this instant. All Hallow's Eve has finished," Sanguini said.

Carmilla hissed at him, disappearing into the night.

Sanguini looked at Blaise, who was lying on the foyer floor, his blood soaking the tiles and staining his robes.

"You absolute fool," he murmured, walking into the room and lifting Blaise's unconscious body with ease.

He cleaned the blood from the tiled floor. There was not much he could do about the robe, so Sanguini simply carried Blaise upstairs to what he presumed was the master bedroom - though the bed was far too large for one person to sleep in alone. As Sanguini undressed Blaise and destroyed his robe, he couldn't help but sense his blood. The cells were moving fast to try to close up the wounds, but the magic in Carmilla's fangs was preventing them from healing.

"Such a shame to let it all go to waste," Sanguini murmured, staring at the blood, transfixed.

Blaise woke up on his bed. He looked up to find Sanguini standing in the doorway, looking horrified and pleased at the same time. Blood stained Sanguini's lips; his blood, for sure.

"Why?" Blaise muttered, clutching his neck.

Sanguini did not trust himself to reply, and disappeared before he could do any more damage.

As the vampire disappeared, Blaise screamed in pain.

His neck was burning! He scratched at his neck, trying to tear off the burning flesh. The burning sensation spread throughout his entire body, and he continued to scream for what seemed to be hours.

Perhaps it was only minutes, maybe even days, but Blaise would never know. He screamed and even though he soon fell unconscious as a self-preservation mechanism by his body, Blaise continued to feel pain in the darkness of his mind. His skin burned and his muscles disappeared into the flames. His flesh melted away and his eyes fused shut. His entire body changed against his will.

Then the pain stopped, and Blaise woke up alone in his over-sized bed, his head throbbing with the after affect of the alcohol and a sore neck.

...

Blaise's eyes widened as he realised what had happened to him.

He touched the wounds again, the scabs peeling off. Some of his skin came off too, and he stared at his reflection.

Blaise wasn't sure if he should be horrified or not, but he continued to peel off his old skin. As he did so, a younger, less worn version of him started to appear. Conceited or not, he looked absolutely _perfect_.

His hangover seemingly disappeared as the last of his former skin was removed.

"Blaise!"

He whipped around on hearing Ginevra calling him.

"Where are you, you miserable sod? We came home early to see you, and this is ... whoa," Draco said, coming into the bedroom and seeing Blaise in the bathroom.

"Whoa?" Ginevra echoed with a raised eyebrow.

She walked into the room and went completely still when she saw Blaise.

"What happened?" she whispered, her eyes wide.

Blaise took in their forms with little less than a glance, but he could see every single detail of them with such stunning clarity that it almost frightened him.

Ginevra's scarf was hung loosely around her neck, her robes unbuttoned to the fourth button. Her pants were hanging loosely around her hips, and her shirt hugged her torso like it had been sewn around her body. He could see the exposed flesh of her chest starting to get goosebumps, and just saw the hardening of her nipples against her shirt.

_Afraid or excited? Or both?_ Blaise wondered, remembering his own feelings towards Carmilla the night before.

Her pupils were beginning to dilate, and her brown eyes held a mixture of fear and desire in them. He had never really noticed her eyes before, they were such an inviting colour ... Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, half of it hanging out straining for release. Her feet were bare, slightly red from being confined in high heeled shoes for so long.

Draco had dropped his robe, his shirt unbuttoned all the way and Blaise just wanted to reach out and touch his skin. He wanted to pull off those confining pants and tease him for hours, just because he could. Draco started to get goosebumps as well and Blaise could count all of them if he chose to take a second glance. Draco's eyes were lovely too. A beautiful mix of grey and silver.

_How had he not realised that the two shades were completely different colours?_

Blaise sniffed and could smell everything, from the slight sheen of sweat, to the perfume Ginevra had put on last night, to the chocolate taste of her mouth from her usual morning hot chocolate. He could smell Draco's scent, one that seemed to belong to him alone.

_They would be millionaires overnight if that scent could be bottled_, Blaise thought to himself as he lost himself to his senses.

Their blood pumped faster as fear and excitement flowed through them and he bit back a groan. They smelled _delicious_.

"Blaise?" Ginevra repeated, taking a wary step forward.

He smiled at her, a feral and predatory smile that scared and excited her. Ginevra didn't know if she wanted to step forward into his arms, or run away and hide for the rest of her life.

"Lovely," he murmured, gazing at her exposed neck.

He flashed her another smile, this time revealing his pointed teeth. She gasped even as she imagined the feel of those perfect lips on her neck, his white teeth pressing into her flesh, and his tongue lapping at her blood.

She bit her lip, thinking in far more detail what she could do to him if she was like he was. Not a monster, not something to hide from. He was the definition of beauty, one she wanted.

"Come," Blaise murmured, holding a hand out for her.

Ginevra took it and stepped into his arms, kissing him hungrily.

"It will hurt," he said in her ear, using the same technique Carmilla had used on him. "It will hurt like nothing you have ever experienced before in your life."

"It will be worth it," Ginevra breathed heavily.

Blaise smirked and kissed his way to her neck. He kept his eyes on Draco, not even blinking as he bit into their lover's neck, her sweet and deliciously hot blood pouring into his mouth. He moaned, sucking even more. _He needed more, _**_wanted _**_more. He wanted to take everything she had to offer him!_

One of the last shreds of humanity in his body told him to stop. _She would not survive if he did not stop now._

He very reluctantly pulled away, gently laying Ginevra on the bed as she screamed in pain.

Draco seemed oblivious to the screams emitting from Ginevra's throat, his entire body focused on Blaise's body. He moved to Blaise's arms as soon as Blaise whispered his name, and kissed him. He was tentative at first, not sure if this perfection was real. As his arms wrapped around Blaise's body, Draco became more sure of himself and kissed his lover eagerly, still wanting more.

"It will cause you a lot of pain, lover," Blaise murmured in his ear.

Draco just nodded, willing to risk it for everything Blaise could give him in return.

Blaise kissed Draco once more, then moved his way down to his neck. He licked his salty skin lightly, then bit him, his fangs piercing his thin flesh easily.

He had more control over himself this time, and pulled back before his humanity had to tell him to.

With a satisfied sigh, Blaise put Draco beside Ginevra, then crawled between them and held them through their pain.

_The future would be an interesting time for everyone_...

...

End of the first instalment! Thank you for reading.

...


	2. Passing the minutes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter!  
**  
Ships:**  
Draco/Ginevra/Blaise  
Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)  
Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_Second instalment of the Halloween series._****

Happy Halloween!

...

Sanguini looked at the other Council Elders, his face impassive.

"She will be confined, or killed. These three new vampires have not the right to walk among us. They did not go through the proper channels, and they will be punished for it, as will your wife, their creator," the Eldest said.

"Of course, Eldest. Shall I remain for the trial?" he asked with the slightest of bows.

"Yes. You will be needed to testify. Now, call your wife so that she may Call the ones she created," Eldest murmured.

Sanguini bowed once more, then called for Carmilla in his mind. She hissed at him, even as she appeared in front of him.

"What do you want?" she growled, her eyes red.

"You are to Call the ones you created on All Hallow's Eve," Eldest said, ignoring the fact that she had been speaking to Sanguini.

Carmilla looked at Sanguini, her face as impassive as his had been just moments earlier. Her eyes held a hint of surprised amusement, and something akin to desire in them.

"Yes, Eldest," she murmured.

Stepping forward, Carmilla looked at her husband affectionately. He had done exactly what he had forbidden her to do, and the thought of him drinking from the young mortal made her breath catch in her throat. Desire flowed through her as she looked at Sanguini through long lashes. She would hold his secret, and whisper of it to him in the night.

Through their linked minds, Carmilla was able to Call the mortal. After a few moments of stillness they tried again, with the same results.

"He does not respond to my Call, Eldest," she murmured quietly.

For the briefest of moments, Sanguini looked worried, thinking that they would find out that he was the new vampire's creator.

"It is as we feared," Eldest murmured softly. "They were created on All Hallow's Eve and now they cannot be controlled by any, unless they too, were created on a similar night."

"Hunter," a soft voice said from beside Eldest.

Eldest turned his head as the vampire stepped out from the shadows and into the dim candlelight.

"Olia," Eldest said affectionately, holding a hand for her.

Sanguini repressed the shudder that threatened to escape. He had not known that she would be here.

The vampire named Olia stepped forward to accept his hand. She looked to be no more than six years old with her porcelain skin, her doll-like dress and her brunette hair done up in ringlets. Yet her eyes deceived her facade. In her eyes were countless tales of centuries filled with horrors and monsters, along with power. She was the monster of the centuries, and she revelled in the power.

She was older than anyone knew, even older than Eldest. She rarely came to meetings or trials, which is why everyone was surprised to see her, not that they visibly showed it. Olia had only created one vampire, but no one dared to question her intentions. Like her age, no one knew the true potential of her power. There were enough rumours to dissuade them from trying anything though, and so Olia was left alone by the Council.

"Hunter was created on the eve of the All Hallows night. She will be able Call them," Olia murmured softly, a child-like tone to her voice.

"Will you Call her for us?" Eldest asked.

"She is on her way already. Patience, Eldest," Olia said.

Eldest inclined his head slightly, and everyone waited quietly.

In a flurry of black material, Hunter arrived. She floated in the air, her artistically tattered robe flowing around her, before dropping to the ground silently.

Hunter was not by any means the oldest vampire on the earth, even Sanguini was older than her. But Hunter had something that the other vampires did not. She had a complete lack of morals. She did not simply drink from her victims, or kill them. She tortured them in ways that made even Eldest wince at the thought of. Even Carmilla, who bathed in her victims' blood, was not as far removed from her morals or emotions as Hunter. Carmilla did her deeds from vanity and the fear of looking old. Hunter did them from the pleasure of watching them writhe. She loved to watch her victims, her pets, as they cried out for mercy. She watched as every ounce of hope faded from their eyes, watched as their souls shattered, watched as their life light from their eyes faded into darkness as they died with silent cries on their lips.

There were hundreds of rumours surrounding Olia's decision to create Hunter. The most popular one was that Olia had tortured Hunter as a mortal, and Hunter had simply broken. Her cries and pleas turned into ones akin to pleasure, and Olia had seen the potential in Hunter, so she had created her with the offer of more torture and ever-lasting life.

A different rumour said that Hunter had been Olia's lover, her protector, and her guise. As a child-vampire, Olia did not have the ability to travel everywhere she would have liked, and so the rumour said that she recruited Hunter in the pretense of being her mother, aunt, older sister; whatever the need. From there, Olia had come to love Hunter in a way that no one else could comprehend, and so created her.

A lot of vampires thought that it was a mix of the two, however unbelievable it was to think of Olia as loving.

"Master," Hunter murmured, not acknowledging anyone other than Olia.

"I have seen the havoc these new three vampires have created, and so I am changing the order," Olia said to the room of vampires.

No one breathed, anticipating and wondering what she would say. Olia looked to Hunter, an eerie smile on her face.

"A simple Call is not enough. A Call will only result in a prolonged trial, and I do not like to stay up past my bedtime," Olia said, the sudden change to innocent child scaring the vampires more than they would admit. She returned her attention to Hunter once more. "You are to kill and bring the three new vampires to us. Use any means you think neccessary," Olia said, a child-like happiness in her voice.

All pretense discarded, all of the vampires in the room looked to Olia in shock, surprise, and fear. When it came to an order, the terms 'any means' were not taken lightly, and now, due to the consequences, they were barely even thought of when issuing a command. 'Any means' to vampires were vastly different to mortal meanings, and the outcomes could be anything, including fates worse than death.

Hunter looked up, her eyes feral as she grinned wildly, pleased at the terms.

She disappeared in another flurry of material and silence.

...

Blaise smirked as Draco lured yet another girl into their house. Draco barely had to smile at someone before they were hooked around his arm and willing to die for him.

Ginevra meanwhile, was using her looks to ensnare a young man at the Hog's Head. Aberforth wasn't entirely pleased, but he wasn't about to complain to them. Not when he'd seen what they could and would do to protect each other.

Blaise pressed at his temples, trying to ease the aching. He was being Called, that he knew instinctively, just as animals knew that he was not human. But he was able to repress the need to leave, the Call that made his blood boil hotter and hotter with every passing second he refused to comply.

Ginevra and Draco also felt the Call, but to a lesser extent. They were still able to hunt, and for that he was grateful. He would not want to risk them by going out while he was like this. They were able to bring back prey, and they could all feast. It was not like the mortals could refuse. Once they saw his looks and responded to the aphrodisiac that his gaze sent out they would simply lie down without a second thought.

Both Ginevra and Draco had the ability to emit an aphrodisiac in their gaze as well, so Blaise concluded that it was a vampire trait. It would explain his reaction to Carmilla, despite the alcohol.

Ginevra arrived home, the man instantly trying to kiss her and get his hands inside her robes.

Draco and Blaise snarled in their minds, and Ginevra pushed the man away, laughing.

"Not yet," she murmured, kissing him softly again.

The man didn't realise that Ginevra's words were not meant for him, and so he relented and kissed her again.

Quite suddenly, the ache in Blaise's mind disappeared. His head snapped up as he felt something sinister and ancient press against him.

Draco and Ginevra both stopped what they were doing, looking up to where he was sitting at the top of the staircase. Blaise pushed himself off where he was sitting on the railing, and floated down to the foyer.

The girl in Draco's arms screamed slightly, her voice cutting short in shock when she looked at Blaise properly.

He could smell her lust, but pushed the temptation away. He looked to Draco and Ginvera, silently telling them of what he had felt. They confirmed it, and both stepped away from the mortals.

The girl whimpered, and the man groaned. They both tried to step towards Draco and Ginevra, but were unable to move. The three lovers watched as the mortals eyes grew heavy, and they crumpled to the floor. In seconds, they both disappeared, returned to their homes where they would think this of nothing as an odd dream.

"Do we run?" Ginevra asked.

"Do we answer the Call?" Draco asked.

"Or do we fight?" they asked in unison.

"We will wait for their move before anything is decided," Blaise said.

Draco and Ginevra both nodded, moving towards him faster than any mortal eyes could see. They wrapped themselves around him, kissing, touching, and murmuring to Blaise as fast as they had moved.

He lifted them both with ease, and in less than a second they were all in the master bedroom, passing the minutes with the taste, feel, and love of each other.

...

_End of the second instalment. Thanks for reading_!

...


	3. Hunting the minutes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Or Halloween.

**Ships:**

Draco/Ginevra/Blaise

Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)

Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_Third instalment of the Halloween series_.

**Happy Halloween!**

...

Hunter sniffed the air slightly. _They had been to this place, and more than once. They would inevitably return. It was the way of the naive. _She hungered for their fear, wanted to watch as they fought against her in vain, she wanted to see their blood pour from their wounds. Perhaps even taste them...

_No! You are to bring them. You are not to taste them_, Olia's voice echoed in her mind.

Hunter snarled for a brief moment, not liking this condition at all. Then a smell caught her attention, and she looked up to see three people walk in, who seemed to be the complete definition of 'perfect'.

_Definitely the three new vampires. They were reckless to be seen together_, Hunter thought to herself.

The three vampires didn't seem to notice her, and Hunter was pleased that her magical guise was working. She hadn't used her magic very often before, despite vampires having a small amount of magical power from when they were created. She liked to work without the magic, just so that her pets could see that _she _was doing them harm, and not something _completely_ unnatural. But this was a different circumstance and so, it required something different all together.

She watched them as they split up, each going to a different section of the bar. They stayed in positions where they would be able to get out quickly if there was trouble though, so Hunter concluded that they weren't as naive as she had originally thought. Hunter didn't like to be wrong.

...

_You sense her_? Blaise asked Draco and Ginevra in their minds.

_Other side of the bar_, Draco said.

_A very weak Glamour as well. I am disappointed_, Ginevra drawled.

_Can you see past the Glamour_? Blaise queried.

_Only if I concentrate, and I don't want to bring attention to myself_, Ginevra replied.

Draco agreed with her, his eyes flicking to Hunter very briefly.

_Good thinking. But you are wrong to be disappointed. What she lacks in magical strength, she has in physical strength_, Blaise said, conveying an image of what Hunter truly looked like.

_Do we challenge her_? Ginevra asked.

_Not yet. I believe that she is simply judging and estimating our strengths this night. There is to be no magic used while she is in the area, is that understood? She may know that we are wizards, but if she believes that we aren't able to use our magic as vampires, then let her believe that. We may need to have an advantage when it comes to this one, _Blaise murmured.

_What do we do with our food_? Draco asked, looking at the girl's neck with longing.

_Leave them for now. I will think when we return home_, Blaise replied.

Ginevra grinned at that, and bought a large drink for the now-irrelevant man in front of her.

"Oh dear, I think I should leave before my husband calls me," she murmured, hurrying from the bar before the Muggle could protest.

Draco left the girl in much the same way, muttering something about his wife and children. The girl looked indignant when she realised what Draco had said, but by the time she would have thought to do or say anything about it, Draco, Ginevra and Blaise had left the pub and were already walking to their home.

...

Hunter watched as they left, her eyes narrow in confusion and suspicion.

_Had they sensed her afterall_?

Throwing a few coins on the table, Hunter left the pub, following the three vampires at a discreet distance.

She watched as they walked along the snow-covered roads, laughing to each other. They stopped every so often to kiss and bite each other, making Hunter feel sick.

_They were naive afterall. They shouldn't be doing such things in public, for mortals to see! Their deaths should be very painful. They deserved it for exposing their kind like this way_!

A snarl rose in her throat, and her eyes followed them as they disappeared into one of the houses. With a speed that not even other vampires could see, she was inside of their house and hidden within a moment.

...

_She is in the house_, Blaise murmured.

_But I am thirsty_! Ginevra groaned, her eyes flashing red. _We cannot leave for food while she is in here, following our every move_.

_I know love, be patient. Just let Blaise think for a few minutes longer_, Draco replied lovingly, kissing her neck.

_We can still Floo_, Blaise said suddenly_. She will not be able to follow us without knowledge of the grate_.

_Excellent idea_, Ginevra hissed, turning to kiss Draco.

_What are you in the mood for, love_? Blaise drawled.

_Italian will go down well_, Ginevra answered with a smirk.

They headed to the lounge room quickly. It had the biggest fireplace and it was one of very few in the wizarding world that allowed for multiple Floo's at the same time.

Blaise threw the Floo powder in, and they stepped in before Hunter even reached the room.

"Italian manor," he called, and they disappeared in a flash of green.

...

Hunter growled angrily.

_They had escaped her_! They had simply stood in the foyer, kissing luxuriously and then they had disappeared to the next room before she had even noticed what had happened! _Olia would not be pleased_.

_No. I am not. You will wait for them to return... I do not want to be disappointed in you again, Hunter_, Olia's voice murmured dangerously.

Hunter shivered slightly. _Yes, she would wait their return. They had to return to this place sometime, surely_...

...

"If that bitch does not leave our home soon, I am going to go in there and stake her myself," Ginevra growled. "I want our room back," she moaned against Blaise's neck, licking him.

"I know, love. We must be patient. The house elves have left, so she will be forced to leave soon enough," Blaise replied, holding her as she bit his neck and drank deeply.

"And if she does not, then you can stop worrying about those animals that keep hiding in the walls," Draco said, a smirk forming as Ginevra hissed in displeasure.

"You are ruining my appetite, lover," she warned.

"My apologies. How shall I redeem myself?" Draco murmured, trailing kisses up Ginevra's spine.

He kissed her neck, moving slightly so that his mouth brushed against her sensitive vein.

"Yes, like that," Ginevra moaned, her head lolling back.

Draco chuckled and bit her, licking and sucking at the wounds seductively.

Ginevra opened her eyes and looked at Blaise hungrily.

"We need you, lover," she said huskily.

"Just as I need you," Blaise murmured in reply, moving to them and kissing Ginevra.

She pulled away and bit him without warning. A shiver ran through his body, and Blaise groaned as he undressed her. Draco took Blaise's clothes off quickly, his fingers light, and taking every opportunity to caress Blaise's exposed skin.

Ginevra rubbed her body against Blaise's chest, purring her satisfaction. Draco moaned her name, moved behind her and cupped her wet pussy in his large hand. She pulled Blaise to her, kissing and biting him again, before taking his hard cock in her hand and pumping him none-too-gently.

"Fuck me," Blaise moaned, his eyes red.

"Willingly, lover," Ginevra replied with a smirk as she wrapped her legs around Blaise's waist and impaled herself on him.

"Always, lover," Draco murmured, now moving behind Blaise and entering him with an easy motion.

Blaise rolled his body against theirs, beginning the rhythm that could last for minutes or hours, depending on their mood. Tonight, they wanted it fast.

Draco sank his fangs into Blaise's shoulder, and Blaise drew a line of blood along Ginevra's breast, licking and sucking her eagerly.

"Oh, fuck!" she cried, rocking against Blaise as she held him tighter, her nails marking half crescents into his back.

Blaise pushed into her harder, loving how he filled her. He could stay buried inside her for his entire life and not have a single worry. As long as Draco was with them, of course.

Groaning against her shoulder, Blaise moved faster, rubbing his cock against her clit. She purred in his ear, moving to bite his neck. Draco was licking the wounds Ginevra had made on Blaise's back, and Blaise couldn't control himself anymore. He spilled into Ginevra eagerly, reaching down to flick his thumb against her clit. The friction worked, and she came moments after he did, Draco not far behind.

Blaise murmured words of love in their ears, then kissed them both as he put their robes back on.

_Their blood was only enough to sustain each other for a matter of hours... They would need a human sooner rather than later_.

"Let's go hunting," Blaise murmured, his eyes red as he grinned.

...

End of the third instalment! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!

...


	4. Fighting the minutes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

**Ships:**

Draco / Ginevra / Blaise

Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)

Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_Fourth instalment of the Halloween series._

**Happy Halloween!**

...

Hunter growled impatiently as she paced the foyer. The house was cold, there were no house elves to keep it warm, and the three new vampires **still** hadn't fucking returned!

Olia was becoming extremely annoyed, something that even frightened Hunter.

The more Olia became annoyed, the more frustrated Hunter became. Frustration was not a feeling she enjoyed. She was keeping most of her frustration at bay by thinking of how much she would enjoy killing them.

_She could tie them to that dramatically large bed of theirs and kill them slowly, making them watch as she fucked each of them with her knives. She would drain them of their blood, and she would keep them alive throughout the entire process. She would even drink_ ...

_No! I was specific in that you are not to taste them, Hunter_, Olia's voice penetrated her fantasy abruptly.

Hunter growled at that, still not liking that condition of their deaths. _One taste could not hurt_.

_It will hurt when you return_, Olia promised in an icy tone.

Hunter pulled away, shivering at her Master's tone.

_She would make sure they lived throughout their deaths, and then she would deliver their heads on silver fucking platters to her Master_.

...

Ginevra, Blaise and Draco watched as Hunter paced their foyer, muttering to herself. They were beneath their Invisiblity Cloak, and this wasn't the first time they were using it to spy on someone.

Blaise glanced at Ginevra, grinning when he saw the blood on the corner of her mouth. They had barely finished their French dinner before Ginevra had complained again of Hunter being in _their_ home.

The blood had renewed them and before the adrenaline had worn off, they'd Apparated back home silently. So preoccupied with her mutterings and Master, Hunter hadn't even noticed them or the change in the air around her.

_It is good that she is distracted_, Draco's thought interrupted Blaise's own.

_Can we kill her now_? Ginevra asked, her fangs glinting as she smiled eerily.

_Not yet, love. We don't want her blood in our foyer. We need to lure her away_, Blaise replied.

_I can do that_, Ginevra said, moving forward to jump over the stair barrister.

Blaise touched her arm, gently moving her back as Hunter looked up.

...

Hunter growled to herself as she paced the foyer. She was getting increasingly frustrated that they hadn't returned to their home. She just wanted to kill them and leave this blasted country with her Master.

Something shifted above her, and Hunter looked up quickly. Frowning slightly, Hunter jumped up and landed on the stair barrister. She sniffed slightly, her frown deepening.

_They were here_!

She moved quickly, following their scent. Hunter grinned when it came to a dead end. There were no doors, corridors or windows for them to escape through. Now that she was aware of their presence, she could tell that they hadn't Apparated either.

"_Where are you_?" she called in a sing-song voice.

"Over here, bitch," Ginevra hissed.

Hunter was surprised long enough to be kicked in the jaw.

"You were lucky, that will not happen again," she hissed.

"You keep believing that, bitch," Ginevra replied mockingly, her fangs glinting in the moonlight as she smirked at Hunter.

Hunter hissed and took a hit at Ginevra. She missed her by a mile, but the intention was not to hit her, rather to make Ginevra move further back. Once she could corner her, she could get her back, and then take her time killing her.

Hunter was so intent on making Ginevra move back that she didn't hear the other two Apparate behind her. Blaise stilled Hunter with a Dark spell. It could hold her, no matter that she was immortal, and it could only be taken off by the person who had put it on.

"She will not let you taste us, will she?" Blaise murmured, his voice in her ear.

Hunter growled in response.

"You do know her reason, do you not?" Blaise asked, moving to stand in front of her.

Hunter snarled and snapped at him, the most she could do at present.

"If you taste us, then you will become even more powerful than she is. Your Master does not like those that are stronger than her, does she? That is why she tortured you before Turning you," he said, caressing Hunter's face lightly. "You were powerful once, were you not, Arabella?" Blaise murmured.

Hunter tried to pull away. _He was using her human name. Her weak, stupid human name... She _**_hated_**_ that name_.

"You were powerful before this, Arabella. But you could not resist your Master, could you? She was so sweet and shy in nature. Or so it seemed... Then she showed you what she really was. You tried to have her killed, but she returned with your hunter's heart. Then she punished you for making an attempt on her life. She has been punishing you ever since, hasn't she Arabella? She gave you the name Hunter so that you would always remember what you did. _She made you weak_," Blaise said.

"She made me stronger!" Hunter yelled, still trying to get out of the magical binding the bastards had put on her. "Fight me, damn you! I'll torture you and kill you and then I'll deliver your heads on a fucking platter to my Master!"

Blaise just chuckled lightly. Without a word or warning, the spell that Hunter was resisting disappeared, and she fell forward without the pressure holding her back.

She was on her feet in an instant, crouching and snarling at them.

"I will kill you," she hissed.

"You may Drink from us first, Arabella," Draco said, moving a few steps towards her.

Hunter lashed at him, but he didn't retreat like others would have.

"You can be powerful again, Arabella," Ginevra murmured, moving in further.

"You can become stronger than your Master," Blaise said softly, moving directly across from her.

Hunter hit and punched at him. The blows should have knocked him unconscious, but Blaise didn't appear to be harmed at all.

"You will become stronger than us, at the very least," Blaise said, sounding amused.

Hunter snarled and hit him again, harder this time. She bit back a scream when the bones in her hand were crushed against his body, breaking the fragile bones.

"They just don't make vampires like they used to," Draco murmured, shaking his head.

"You want to hurt us, Arabella?" Blaise asked, moving closer to her again.

She growled and tried to hit him with her other hand. Blaise blocked it, and then gripped her arm tightly. She felt her muscles grinding against the bone, her blood flow cutting off as his grip tightened further.

"Do you want to get revenge?" he murmured in her ear. "Do you want to hurt us? Do you want to become stronger than us? Then just say **_yes_**," Blaise hissed, forcing her entire body back so they could look at each other properly.

"Y-yes," Hunter said.

Blaise released her arm, and she almost sighed in relief as the muscles righted themselves and her blood continued to flow properly.

She looked at him, unable to believe that Blaise was not writhing on the ground in pain. He should have been screaming for mercy by now. _She had done less to other vampires, even ones older and more experienced than her, and they had cried for mercy a short time after the fight had begun. Was it because these vampires were created on All Hallow's Eve? If that were the reason, then she should be just as strong as they were. She should be able to control them. She had been picked for this assignment because of that reason, afterall_.

"First, tell me how you defeated me," Hunter said, glaring at them.

"Very well, Arabella. I will tell you," Blaise murmured.

As she continued to glare at the three vampires, two of them disappeared, wavering and shimmering as intense heat does when radiating from the sand.

"My lovers were never here. They loaned their power to me in order to create illusions. They could only be solid for a certain amount of time, which is why they have now disappeared. But their power still resides within me, and will continue to do so until they will it otherwise. I must congratulate you; you would have certainly defeated me on my own. But with their power, I am stronger than both you and your Master, Olia. She will not be pleased that you have failed, will she, Arabella?"

"How do you know my name? And my Master's name?" Hunter snarled.

"I have friends in various places, and I have friends who are extremely interested in the history of the vampires," Blaise said in a dismissive tone. "I can still give you power, if you wish it to be so," Blaise said, beginning to roll his sleeve up.

_Do not take his offer, Hunter_! Olia yelled.

"The combined power of three newly created vampires, especially those on All Hallows Eve, is the strongest power that can ever be had. You want to be stronger, do you not, Arabella?" Blaise murmured, stepping towards her softly.

_Hunter, do not take his offer! You will be rewarded when you return. Leave them, and return_! Olia instructed.

_She had never left a job unfinished_, Hunter thought, shuddering at the mere prospect. _But then, she had never been ordered to leave a job before finishing it_!

"You do want to finish your job, right, Arabella?" Blaise said, moving even closer.

Hunter was torn between obeying her Master, and the prospect of more power. _With this power, she could dispose of these three bastards, and then protect her Master, no matter who or what came at them. She would no longer be weak, stupid Arabella. She would truly be Hunter_.

"Come, Hunter. This is your only chance," Blaise murmured.

He slid his wand along his wrist, and moved the last few steps to Hunter. She latched onto his wrist without any further encouragement.

Blaise watched as Hunter Drank from him deeply. He slowly began to pull his arm away, holding her back when she tried to grab him again.

Hunter moved away and leaned against the wall. She didn't feel stronger. In fact, she felt weaker.

_You idiot, Hunter! I told you not to accept his offer, didn't I? I told you_! Olia was screaming at her.

_She sounded sad, even through her yelling_, Hunter thought in some surprise.

"I should probably tell you now, before you can't hear me at all," Blaise said, drawing her attention to him. "The combined power of three newly created vampires is not only the strongest power, it is also lethal to anyone who dares to drink it."

Hunter felt her blood slowing, and her eyes started to drop closed.

"Olia was just trying to save you, Arabella," Blaise murmured in her ear. "And you went and killed yourself because you were too weak to listen to your Master's orders."

Blaise stood up, and watched as Arabella died. When he was sure that she was dead, he cut off her head, threw her body in the fireplace, and left her head on the foyer floor before Apparating back to his lovers.

...

Blaise arrived in their room to find Draco and Ginevra waking up.

"Did you kill her?" Ginevra asked.

Blaise could only manage a nod before collapsing on the bed, exhaustion claiming him.

"Olia will try to get her revenge on us," Draco murmured as he undressed Blaise carefully.

Ginevra cleaned the blood from their lover's body gently, then covered him with the blanket.

"She can try; we will be ready."

...

End of the fourth instalment! Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it!

...


	5. Betraying the minutes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter!

**Ships:**  
Draco / Ginevra / Blaise  
Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)  
Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_Fifth instalment in the Halloween series!_

**Happy Halloween!**

...

Blaise had slept for two days straight, and even though he felt better on the third day, he did not get out of the bed. Instead, he simply listened to everything around him, and thought about ways to kill Olia.

He knew that she would not come to them; no one likes to work on unfamiliar territory, after all. Blaise also knew that Olia didn't need Arabella to guard her, she had simply been a pawn so that Olia could get around the mortal world without being stopped. A child outside alone after dark would draw too much unwanted attention.

Olia wouldn't need anyone to replace Arabella straight away; she was staying with the Council Elders for sure. She would wait until she had beaten them to get a new guard and parent.

Ginevra entered the room with Draco, both of them aware that he had been awake for some time now, but knew that it would be best to leave him in peace.

"Are you well rested, lover?" Ginevra murmured, caressing his face gently.

"Do you need to feed?" Draco asked, ready to Apparate at Blaise's word.

"I am well rested, and I can hold off feeding for now. I do not feel like moving at the moment," Blaise replied quietly.

"Carmilla and Sanguini tried to Call us this morning. We didn't reply," Ginevra said.

"I sincerely doubt that the Council would have asked them to do so. We are already being dealt with by Olia," Blaise murmured.

"So they're Calling us for their own curiosity?" Draco asked.

"Possibly. We will decide what to do if they Call us again," Blaise murmured.

As if on cue, a Call touched their minds. It was hesitant, and had none of the crippling power that had accompanied it all those days ago.

"Do we answer?" Draco asked.

"Or do we wait?" Ginevra asked.

"If we answer, it may be a trap. But if we wait, then we may miss the opportunity that this is presenting us," Blaise said.

"Answer," Ginevra said with a nod.

"Answer," Draco agreed.

Blaise nodded in response. _His own thoughts exactly_. He opened his mind and accepted the Call, holding onto Ginevra and Draco tightly. In moments, they were no longer in their house, instead, standing inside a cobble-stoned house. Carmilla and Sanguini looked genuinely surprised that they had answered the Call.

"What do you want of us?" Blaise asked, stepping forward.

"We want to help you destroy Olia," Sanguini said calmly.

"Why would you betray one of your own to us?" Ginevra asked with a sneer.

"That bitch is limiting my hunting grounds," Carmilla snarled. "I can only go out once every year as it is, and now she's decreased my boundaries by half! _By _**_half_**! How am I supposed to stay this beautiful and young when I can barely get enough blood to soothe my throat?" she murmured, touching her face tenderly as she gazed at her reflection in one of the many mirrors surrounding them.

"So you really just want us to get rid of Olia in order to help yourselves," Draco sneered.

"Yes," Sanguini replied, not even abashed or apologetic for it.

"And why should we help you? What can you offer us in return for destroying Olia?" Ginevra asked, smirking at them.

"We have wealth, more than either of your families combined," Sanguini said, nodding to Draco and Blaise.

"We have no need of your wealth when we do have so much of our own. And we can add to it just as easily as you have to yours," Draco drawled.

"Perhaps you should first tell us what you are planning to help us with in order to destroy Olia; then we will be able to make a decision on what we would like in return," Blaise said.

Carmilla left the room quickly, but Sanguini didn't seem pertubed by her sudden absence. Instead, he pursed his lips and gave a high-pitched whistle, one that was too high for mortal ears to hear. But not animals, it seemed, as three dogs entered the room, whining as they trotted over to Sanguini calmly.

"How do you manage to keep animals so close to you, when they despise our very being?" Ginevra asked, looking at the dogs fondly. She had always been fond of animals, and it was one loss she did regret from becoming a vampire.

Her answer was given when the dogs turned to them. All three had fangs, and their eyes were bright red.

"They were only puppies when I changed them. They are loyal to me, and no one else. They can only just stand Carmilla, and that is because they have been around her for the past hundred years of their lives. And I do not mean that in dog years," he added with a slight grin.

"So you will let us use your dogs against Olia then?" Draco asked.

"No, I cannot. The Council are aware that these dogs are mine and unfortunately, if something goes wrong for you and my dogs are seen doing your will, I will be prosecuted. I am, however, giving you the knowledge that animals can be changed into our kind. If they are young enough, they cannot flee or fight as older animals can... And I also give you this: Olia is afraid of large animals, particularly horses."

"Ironic that a little girl should be scared of a horse," Ginevra muttered, smirking.

"It has something to do with her childhood, apparently. No one ever pries into Olia's life for very long, and the only reason I have this information about her is due to accidentally hearing it from a Council member almost two hundred and fifty years ago. Olia does not know that I am aware of her one weakness, and the Council member who did know was killed by her only days after finding out about it. He had presented a unicorn to her for her birthday, and then died for the gift. _That_ is irony, my dear," Sanguini said.

"How did you get the information from the Council member? I doubt that they would have handed it over willingly, considering Olia's reputation, even back then," Blaise murmured.

"This particular Council member had a preference for alcohol, and was often revealing because of it's effects. Olia was angry at him, and he got very drunk as a result. I was the one who found him that night, and helped him sober up with my slave's blood. He was sober by the time he had to attend the Council's meeting that night, and had no recollection of what he had told me," Sanguini replied.

"You had a slave?" Ginevra asked in surprise.

"Of sorts," he said, his lip twitching in amusement. "Carmilla was a very willing blood-slave, efficient during the day, and never refused me anything. Of course, her one flaw was her vanity. She was beautiful, even before becoming a vampire, and she couldn't bear the thought of getting older. She slit her throat the day of her twenty-fifth birthday, and I changed her. The only regret I have is telling her that she could keep her youth by bathing in mortal's blood. I have had too many death's on my conscience since then, and since blood cannot be bottled and still achieve the same results, the most I can do is limit her time outside of these walls.

"But enough of an old man's worries," he said, his youthful face a betrayal of his words, "I have told you the information you will need in order to destroy Olia, now what will you require in order to get the job done?"

"We will tell you once we have completed your request. It will not be fair for us to take something from you before we have finished the job. We know where to find you, after all," Blaise said, and there was something in his tone and words that made Sanguini shudder.

"May I pet the dogs?" Ginevra asked Blaise and Sanguini eagerly, already two steps closer to the large beasts.

"With Sanguini's permission," Blaise replied with a nod.

"They do not like strangers. Perhaps once they are accustomed to you," Sanguini murmured.

But Ginevra had already moved to the three dogs, and was patting and rubbing them before Sanguini had finished his sentence.

"Beautiful," she murmured, scratching the female behind the ears.

"How very odd," Sanguini said, watching them curiously.

The two males whined softly, nudging Ginevra with their noses. She laughed softly, and scratched them both as well.

"Well, I know what we can get Ginevra for her birthday," Draco said, smirking at Blaise.

"Really?!" Ginevra asked in excitement, looking up at them with bright eyes.

"Of course; we would get you the stars if you wanted them, love," Blaise murmured.

Sanguini was tempted to roll his eyes but refrained and whistled softly instead. Whining in protest, his dogs came over to him, still looking back to Ginevra.

"We should go. Thank you for your information, Sanguini," Blaise said, bowing slightly.

Sanguini returned his bow, and by the time he was straight again, all three had disappeared.

He just hoped that they would be able to get the job done...

...

Draco looked at the Hagrid, and wished that he didn't have to be the one to come here. He had never been friendly with Hagrid, and after the incident with Buckbeak, he had never had a reason to be. But they needed large animals, and who better to give that to them than a half-giant?

Not only that, but since Draco was so pale in his mortal life, it seemed that no one really noticed the unusual vampire-paleness his skin had become. Unless he started drinking from them, of course. Which was not a problem where Hagrid was concerned; Draco had better taste than that.

"So why do ye want the puppies?" Hagrid asked, looking down at him with a frown.

"They're for Ginev ... Ginny," Draco rectified - Hagrid wouldn't know Ginevra's full name, after all - "It's her birthday next week, and she loves animals, as you know," he said, getting a nod in response.

"Like Charlie in tha' way," Hagrid said with a broad grin.

"And she really wants to bring some animals up from birth, or as close to that, as she can. I want to give that to her," Draco said. "You _know_ that she'll look after them," he added.

"'Course she will. I'm just worried 'bout how ye goin' ter be gettin' them in tha' tiny house of theirs. I can hardly fit in th' Burrow meself," Hagrid said with a chuckle.

"Ginny isn't living at the ... _Burrow_," Draco replied. "She is living with me and Blaise. We have a house with a very large backyard," he added, something that seemed to be important to puppies.

"Well, that's all righ' then!" Hagrid boomed, and it took a lot of effort for Draco not to wince. "They're out th' back here, come on," he said, walking around the side of his hut.

Draco was just grateful that they hadn't had to go inside the small thing; that he wouldn't have been able to handle, no matter if the puppies were for Ginevra, or if they needed them to kill Olia.

"They're just goin' on seven weeks, so they should be fine to travel. Just make sure they play together an' don't fight too much. They're sweet darlings, aren't they?" Hagrid asked, beaming at the four puppies growling and barking to each other in a wired off section behind the hut.

"They're tiny," Draco said, his eyebrow raised in disdain.

"They get bigger, don't ye worry 'bout tha'!" Hagrid said, laughing his loud booming laughter.

"I will hold you to that," Draco murmured under his breath.

Hagrid whistled, and the four puppies stopped playing immediately.

"I'm gettin' them well trained, not like Fang. Can't imagine why he ran off like that when ye arrived here. Silly brute," Hagrid muttered. "You'll take good care of them, ye hear me?" he said, turning to Draco with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, gods'," Draco groaned. "Agreed, now how much do you want for them?"

"Well, th' thing here is this. Headmistress McGonagall won't let me keep them, so I have ter give them away. But I'd really like somethin' so I can get one of them Nargles that Lovegood's goin' on 'bout. You know her, th' one in charge of _The Quibbler_?"

Draco just stared at Hagrid in disbelief. _He actually _**_believed_**_ that nonsense_?!

"All right. I have heard that they're quite expensive," Draco said, barely able to stop from laughing, "So you had better take five Galleons. Get someone to fix your hut while you're at it," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"That's mighty kind o' yer, Malfoy. Jus' for that, I'll show ye this. I wasn't sure if ye'd like them, but it can't hurt ter ask anyway. The Thestrals have got a new baby, but its mother died givin' birth a few days ago, and none of the others will accept it as their own. I've been tryin' ter feed it meself, but it's difficult; I think it's avoiding the other Thestrals," Hagrid whispered, as if it was all a huge conspiracy.

Draco didn't reply, he just followed Hagrid to the forest. They went deep into the forest, and it went silent as the creatures realised that he wasn't human, and fled in fear. Hagrid seemed to notice their unease, but seemed smart enough not to comment on it. He whistled a few times, trying to call the Thestral out.

"Let me try," Draco said, getting tiresome of his weak attempts.

Draco whistled a low pitch, gradually going higher and higher. The birds flew out of the trees at the sound, bringing some movement to the silent forest. Within minutes, a baby Thestral was in front of them, flapping its wings to stay airborne, before going to the ground, and flapping again to get back up. Draco could see immediately why the other Thestrals refused to accept this one; it had a slight copper-red colour to its flank, not completely black like other Thestrals. Ginevra would love it.

"Excellent. Thank you, I will give you another five Galleons for him," Draco said.

"Don't worry 'bout tha'. Five for all of them is enough, I'm jus' glad ter see them go ter good homes," Hagrid said, and tears threatened to fall again.

Draco rolled his eyes, and moved over to the Thestral. It didn't flee, instead it waited patiently as Draco stroked it.

"You want to come with me, don't you?" Draco murmured.

The Thestral huffed as if agreeing, and flapped to move forward slightly.

"Seems he likes ye. Well, ye'd best be goin' afore someone sees ye here," Hagrid said, leading the way back out of the forest. "Ye need ter treat th' Thestral like a horse fer most things; just think of him as a horse tha' flies. It can be trained early, jus' be careful of its bones; they're softer when they're younger," Hagrid said.

"Very well," Draco replied; it seemed that was all he needed to say for Hagrid to continue talking the rest of the way.

Draco could have sighed in relief when he saw Hagrid's hut, and was feeling even better when he, the puppies, and the Thestral were leaving the Hogwarts grounds.

He sincerely hoped that he would never have to return.

...

End of the fifth instalment!

Hope you enjoyed it!

...


	6. Killing the minutes

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter!

**Ships**:  
Draco / Ginevra / Blaise  
Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)  
Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_The sixth instalment of the Halloween series_!

**Happy Halloween**!

...

Olia hated waiting. She had waited for three centuries before she found someone she could use, and she had Turned her within hours of torturing her. Hunter had never left her side, even during her rebellious year. Olia hadn't let her rebellion last very long; the amusement of it had worn off fairly quickly. Now Hunter was dead, by her own stupid fault and greed, and Olia would have to find a new servant, bodyguard, and lover. Despite what the years had turned mortals and their always-sketchy morals into, it was difficult to find someone who could provide all of that for her **_and_** stay loyal.

Now she had to wait for the three new vampires to come to her. She would not leave to go to them, of that she was sure. That would take her to unfamiliar territory, and she would hate it if she ruined her new shoes and outfit just to take care of them.

_Hunter should have done this, damn her_! Olia had not fought against anyone, vampire or mortal, for a very long time. She did train and hone her skills, of course; she would be an idiot not to. But fighting was boring when she could make her opponent scream and beg for mercy within seconds. Minutes, if they had enough willpower, but it was almost always within seconds. Hunter was the one who enjoyed fighting, enjoyed killing, and enjoyed making it entertaining for Olia. Well, she had enjoyed it while she had been alive, at least.

"I want those vampires here! NOW!" Olia screamed, a tantrum coming on.

"Be calm, Olia. They will come when they believe that they are ready to fight you," Eldest said, his patient tone grating Olia's nerves.

She wished that she could kill the bastard. But if she did, then the Council would be very upset and Olia figured that they could still be put to some use in the upcoming years. To dispose of them now would mean vulnerability on her part. If she did that now, especially without Hunter to help, then she would be drained of a lot of power, and then the new vampires would beat her for sure.

Olia certainly did not want that to happen. She had to kill them, instill fear into the remaining vampires at the Council, go off to break in and train a new guard, and then she could return to kill the old bastards.

"As you wish," she murmured to Eldest, not even a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I must retire, I grow weary in this late hour of the morn," she muttered, leaving the room instantly.

Olia slept and in her mind, she saw three vampires mocking her as they killed Hunter.

_They would pay for what they had done_...

...

Ginevra received her presents with excitement, both at the fact that they were animals, as well as at the prospect of what they would be used for.

They changed the four puppies into vampire-puppies that very night, and they retaliated by chewing the table down to their own size while Blaise, Draco and Ginevra were sleeping the next day.

Two of the puppies were female, named Nike and Bia, and the two males were called Cratus and Zelus, all four named for the Greek demons who guarded Zeus' throne. The Thestral was named Deimos, for the god of Fear. They all lived up to their namesakes, guarding the house by day and scaring anyone foolish enough to come near.

Within a matter of days, the surrounding neighbours had all complained about the noise the puppies and Thestral made during the day. They threatened to move out of the street, and while Blaise, Draco and Ginevra normally could have cared less, they did see the need for them to stay. If their entire street moved suddenly, it would bring far too much suspicion and questions. So, while her lovers slept during the day, Ginevra stayed up to train their pets.

Their neighbours retreated to their houses and no more talk of moving was brought up. In a matter of days, the dogs could stalk Draco silently, eat their raw steaks without spilling a drop of blood, and destroy animals on a miniscule command from any of the three lovers. Now they just had to make sure that they could destroy vampires...

It was Ginevra who came up with the idea, surprisingly. Blaise knew how difficult it had been for her to suggest it, as she hated wasting lives, but figured that they were doing the world a favour.

It was tricky to execute, but they took the worst prisoners from Muggle gaols. They turned them into vampires, and then trained their pets to destroy them. At first, it was difficult for the pets to do so, and Blaise, Draco and Ginevra had to kill the new vampires more often than not. But as the dogs became more experienced, they could maim, kill or completely destroy a newly made vampire on command. Even after the dogs needed no more training, the gaols still held rumours of prisoners that disappeared into the night without a trace.

Nike, Bia, Cratus, and Zelus could have killed their owners too, but even as grateful as they were to them for their newfound strength and power, the dogs also loved their owners, and so the thought only crossed their minds once as a general thought to recognise that they could.

Deimos grew quickly, and within a year, was a Thestral adult. He needed less instruction than the dogs, seeming to instinctively know what his owners wanted with a single motion. The Thestral was a blessing, especially when they discovered Deimos was able to carry the three of them without difficulty, and could out-fly the newest Firebolt prototypes with ease.

As they trained their pets efficiently, so to did Blaise, Draco and Ginevra train. They used the vampire-prisoners to fight against, sometimes allowing them to live up to a week, just to see how their power increased or decreased with time. The prisoners were never let out of the house, as they would wreak havoc the moment they were left alone with mortals- they had done exactly that while they had been mortal, and would do much more as a vampire. If they required blood, it was given to them in a jug or from a bag- they were not allowed to drink from a human, as the consuming nature it brought with drinking directly from the source would only make them thirst for it more.

The year went by quickly, and it was a seemingly normal day when Blaise announced that they were going to fight Olia that night. Ginevra was racing the dogs and Thestral, both having fun and training them for long distance, barely beating them. Draco was watching them race, lounging on the roof as he timed how many kilometres they were running at full speed. Every so often, he would call out 'enemy' and the dogs would go still and silently attack the holographic picture Draco produced with his wand. When the dogs effectively destroyed it, Draco would tell them how excellent they were.

_The neighbours will start complaining again if you continue to get over-excited like that, Draco_, Blaise said with a slight smile as he entered the backyard.

_I know another way I can get over-excited, if you would prefer it, lover_, Draco purred, smirking down at him.

_Another night perhaps. We are to fight Olia this night_, Blaise said.

Ginevra stopped in her tracks immediately, and was by his side just as suddenly. The dogs stopped too, a soft whine telling of their confusion, before they followed Ginevra up to Blaise.

Draco dropped from the roof to land beside them silently.

"You are sure?" he murmured quietly.

"You believe that we are ready to handle her?" Ginevra asked.

"Yes, to both of your questions," Blaise said with a small smile. "We will need to hunt beforehand, and the dogs need to be taken out as well. Deimos can watch from overhead," he added.

With a tiny snort, the Thestral flapped his wings and rose into the sky silently.

Moments later, they all left the house. Nike, Bia, Cratus and Zelus didn't need a leash, staying by their owners faithfully and silently. It was almost amusing to see how many humans didn't notice the large dogs until they were near them.

The took their time to feed, since the evening was just beginning. They did not want to rush their food and then feel ill for it later. One mistake could mean their deaths.

"Have you all had your fill?" Blaise asked his lovers as well as their pets.

Ginevra and Draco nodded in response. The dogs growled softly, moving forward quickly. They were just as eager to kill Olia as their owners were.

Blaise smirked, and with no more than a sigh of wind, they all disappeared.

...

Olia paced angrily. _An entire year. It should have felt like seconds to one such as her, but this particular year had dragged out to feel like centuries_!

She had had three tantrums, almost killed a Council member, and gone on a feeding frenzy after the first six months of the three vampires not showing themselves. The Council had been whispering about controlling her, subduing her, and Olia took notice with an angry glare. She would not let them throw her away like she was a piece of rubbish! She didn't kill them, as she might have a few hundred years ago. No, she had grown up since then. Metaphorically, at least.

Olia apologised with wide eyes, then requested that they help train her. She was so fragile, and didn't want to go up against three vampires who were stronger than her Hunter.

The Council knew her words were a lie, yet they couldn't refuse her. Baby blue eyes did things to men, even those without emotions.

So Olia had started training against the strongest the Council had to offer. She killed the first one - _an accident, of course_ - and came close to dismembering the third, who had torn her favourite dress.

The strongest vampires were weak compared to Olia, and weak compared to what she had to fight. But she did learn from them, found out the typical way of fighting these vampires used. A few relied on brute strength, but most fought as if it were a game of cat and mouse. The mouse would wait until the cat was exhausted, and then move in for the kill. They fought with stamina.

Olia became the mouse soon after learning this style of fighting; a mouse with sharp teeth and a fury to match. She had eons of patience; living in the mortal world for her so long had given her more than enough patience for her to wait quietly until her opponent killed itself, but Olia wanted nothing more than to kill these three vampires. They had killed her guard, lover and friend, which was the ultimate insult to Olia. It made her the laughing stock of the vampire community, and she couldn't have that. They had to die, and she was the only one strong enough to kill them.

She stopped pacing suddenly, a smile on her face. There was a shift in the wind, and she suddenly knew.

"They are coming," she said, laughing gleefully.

...

_I don't like it_, Ginevra said silently as they reached the towering mansion.

They had made it past the gate, and to the entrance with no more than the killing of one vampire guard, who hadn't put up much of a fight.

_It is too quiet_, Draco agreed. _We have looked at this mansion before, and they have always had at least six guards. But tonight, only one_?

_It's not right_, Ginevra said.

_Olia knows that we are coming, and does not want us to be hurt before she can deal with us. She wants to beat us at our full power, so that she can humiliate us in front of every vampire present. She will be the only one to fight us_, Blaise replied. _Do not worry about the lack of guards. Just concentrate on killing Olia, and remember that no matter what happens, Olia must be killed. I love you both_.

Draco and Ginevra looked at their lover with slight frowns, but Blaise ignored their curious looks, and kissed them both.

Zelus and Bia growled softly, as if encouraging them to hurry up.

_We love you too, Blaise_, Draco murmured, ignoring the dogs.

_Don't do anything rash_, Ginevra pleaded.

Blaise didn't answer, and just opened the door to the mansion.

"You look after Blaise, Nike," Ginevra whispered to the dog, who whined in response.

Deimos flew in after them, landing in the foyer quietly.

"Good evening, Blaise, Draco and Ginevra. Olia is expecting you. Please, follow me," Sanguini said, bowing to each of them before heading down a corridor.

Draco and Ginevra looked to Blaise uncertainly. He simply nodded and followed Sanguini.

"This fight has both rules and an audience. Both will be explained once you have entered the room. Good luck," Sanguini added so quietly they almost didn't hear.

Blaise nodded in response to Sanguini's words and waited until he had left to look at Draco and Ginevra.

_Are you both ready_?

_We are ready_, they replied certainly.

The dogs nudged up against their owners, Deimos moving forward quietly as well, the five animals reassuring them that they were ready as well.

Blaise gave them a brief smile, then turned and opened the door.

Olia was waiting in the centre of the room, an eager smile on her child-like face. It broadened when they walked into the circular room to find their audience standing in the landing above the room, watching them with red eyes.

"Welcome! For tonight's fight, there are only two rules: the first is that the fighting must stay within this room, and the second is that it is a fight to the death. Despite our usual rules, Olia has permitted all of you to fight against her tonight. When you are ready, please proceed," Eldest said, smiling at them all enthusiastically from the balcony.

_The only reason that old bastard's smiling is because he thinks we can't kill him from down here_, Ginevra growled to Blaise and Draco.

_When we've finished with this little bitch, we'll prove him wrong_, Draco consoled her, giving his lover a brief smirk.

Blaise didn't reply, simply watched Olia. Her eyes were wide, and she was staring at the dogs and Thestral with something close to fear in her eyes.

"Nike, Bia, Cratus, Zelus, Deimos," Blaise addressed the animals softly, his eyes not leaving Olia's face, "I want you to stay out of the fight unless I call you," he said.

Bia growled deep in her throat, telling Blaise exactly what she thought of his words. Nike whined at Ginevra, who had given her own instructions moments before. The contradiction was confusing the animals. Even Deimos seemed agitated by Blaise's words.

Cratus and Zelus barked menacingly, leaping at Olia.

"No!" Blaise yelled, combining his power into his words.

At his command, the dogs dropped to the ground, shuddering under his power.

"I gave you an order. Back," Blaise said, glaring at the two dogs.

They retreated, tails between their legs.

"Do as he says," Ginevra murmured, reassuring the two dogs quietly.

_What is he doing_? Ginevra asked Draco, who just shook his head in response.

_No idea, but he would not do it without a reason_, Draco replied.

"I want a fair fight against you, Olia, and would prefer to fight against you when you are not paralysed by fear. They will all stay back so long as the fight is fair," Blaise replied.

"If you want such a fair fight, then you would agree to fight me one on one," she answered with a hiss.

"Very well," Blaise said, nodding his head.

"No!" Draco and Ginevra cried, moving to their lover.

"Don't do this, Blaise!" Draco said.

"You will not win against her alone," Ginevra said.

"I accept Olia's condition to fight her one on one, so long as the fight is fair. I will call for you. Do not worry," Blaise murmured.

"The new rules have been accepted! Those not fighting, please leave the area," Eldest called, moving his hand slightly.

Draco and Ginevra were pushed to the wall, Deimos whinnying and the dogs barking as they were moved too. Not even a second later, all seven were in a separate gallery.

"Let us down from here, you old bastard!" Ginevra yelled, banging her fist on the invisible barrier around their small area.

"You will be allowed to aid your lover once the fighting is no longer fair," Eldest said, ignoring her insult.

Ginevra growled under her breath and hit the barrier once more. A crash from the floor below diverted her attention, and both she and Draco looked down to see Olia pinning Blaise up against the wall, her small fists hitting into his stomach.

Despite her small size, Olia's fists harmed Blaise enough for him to crumple to the ground when she stopped.

"How exactly does this fight not become fair?" Draco asked Ginevra softly.

She could hear the worry and pain in his voice, and grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly.

_Blaise will be all right. He has to be all right. We will make sure he will be_, Ginevra said, trying to reassure both of them.

Draco just nodded and they continued to watch the fight. It was one that Blaise was currently losing. He hit Olia a number of times, but everyone could see that he was in pain every time she hit him back.

Both were a bloodied mess in less than fifteen minutes, and Ginevra and Draco were practically hanging off the edge of the balcony, waiting for the moment the fight was no longer fair and Blaise could call them.

Olia kicked Blaise in the stomach, and he crumpled to the ground once more. She stood over his broken body, and smirked down at his blood-covered face.

"You put up a good fight, but it is now your time to die," Olia hissed.

She faced her palms to him, and a ball of green energy appeared. Energy started gathering from the vampires in the gallery above, Olia using their powers as well as her own to create the ball, and then threw it at Blaise's broken form. The ball hit him, and Ginevra screamed loudly. Time slowed, and Ginevra and Draco jumped over the edge of the balcony to their lover.

They hardly even registered what the loss of the barrier meant, but their pets did not forget, and were over the edge a moment later, growling at Olia's petite figure.

_Kill her_, Blaise told Ginevra and Draco softly, his eyes shutting.

With snarls, they both turned to Olia. She was shaking in fear, but still attempting to fight off the dogs that were craving for her blood. Ginevra leapt over the dogs and Thestral, to land directly behind Olia. She kicked her, Olia's small form flying across the room.

Draco stopped her from hitting the wall with his arms, glaring down as she bit him, ripping a chunk of flesh from his arm. He slapped her off his arm, a growl low in his throat.

Ginevra commanded for Bia and Cratus to attack with a small hand motion, and the two dogs leapt forward eagerly, growling and snarling at Olia, biting at her. Their strong teeth and claws broke her skin, leaving her bloodied and scratched in moments. At Ginevra's low whistle, the two dogs retreated reluctantly.

"Oh, Carmilla?" Ginevra called sweetly, looking up at the balcony. "Isn't it true that a child vampire's blood is ten times more potent at retaining beauty than that of three mortals?"

By the time Eldest and the other Council members realised Ginevra's intention, Carmilla was already over the edge of the balcony and in the circular room, her eyes bright red.

The three vampires advanced on Olia slowly, herding her towards the wall. Zelus and Nike helped, snapping their large jaws any time Olia tried to get past.

...

Olia whimpered in fear, her eyes darting every which way, trying to find an escape. They had her covered from every angle... _Except up_. A tiny smirk was all the warning she gave them before leaping over their heads and somersaulting into a roll. Then as she still had the advantage, Olia took Carmilla out first, kicking her so her head hit the wall. _She would make that bitch pay later for betraying her_...

Olia broke Ginevra's arm, the bones breaking in a satisfying snap. Then she was flying across the room again, but she wasn't. She screamed loudly when she realised that she was in the Thestral's mouth. Her scream didn't seem to affect the large animal, and Olia moved her body to claw at the beast's flesh.

It seemed to work, because she was dropped to the ground a moment later. She was up in a flash, ignoring the blood that was seeping from a wound in her head into her eye. She could still see perfectly fine with her other eye.

Olia glared at Draco and Ginevra, both who were advancing on her. The four dogs were with them, glaring, snarling and craving for her blood. She put her fists up, ready to fight them to the death. _She had lived far too long to die because of some dogs and an ugly, overgrown winged horse_!

With a snarl, Olia leapt forward to the first dog. Fear coursed through her mind as she did so, but she pushed the meaningless feeling away and clawed at the dog. It yelped in pain and moved away, whimpering. Another one growled angrily, and Olia screamed as it bit into her arm, a chunk of her dress, flesh, and bone leaving in its teeth a moment later. She moved back further, trying desperately to ignore the intense pain that was pulsating from her limp arm.

_It would take months for that to grow back, and that would only happen if she went feeding very soon! She would be useless without proper use of her limbs, and a joke among the vampire community_. The reputation she had built for herself over the centuries disappeared before her eyes in a second.

Something inside her mind snapped, and Olia went into a low crouch, her eyes burning red. She didn't even allow herself time to think, and launched herself at the closest thing, be it vampire or animal. She clawed with her sharp fingernails, bit with her sharper teeth, punched and kicked with her hands and feet. She smelled fresh blood, but didn't even care if it was coming from her.

They still had their wands and magic, and most likely thought that they had some sort of advantage over her. Not many spells worked on a vampire as old as her, as they'd probably discovered by now.

Olia couldn't help smirking at that thought, and then continued to fight. She was sure she'd killed at least one of the dog abominations, and the Thestral wouldn't be able to fly again. _She was actually winning_!

...

Ginevra glanced to Draco, worried. Blaise hadn't moved for some time now, and the chunk that was missing from Draco's arm was starting to bleed again.

Olia had a look in her eye that scared Ginevra; it was a look that lacked any shreds of humanity. She hadn't expected it from the small vampire, but after Cratus had taken some of her arm, it seemed that whatever had been left of Olia's humanity disappeared. Ginevra's entire body was covered in scratches and some fairly deep cuts. She'd fought back as best as she could, and Olia was sporting a black eye and her arm was bleeding freely because of Ginevra's efforts.

_We're not strong enough_, she said to Draco.

_We have to be. Blaise is counting on us_, he replied, panting heavily from the exertion.

_She's already killed Nike_!

_Then we'll avenge her death_.

_What about Blaise_?

Draco had no response to that question, and from the corner of her eye, Ginevra could see his face go blank. Beneath it, to those who knew how to see past Draco's facade, grim determination and sadness flowed over his face. A single tear ran down Ginevra's bloodied face, and she started to reach deep inside herself.

There was an animal inside each and every person, and the unnatural ones had closer access to it. Werewolves were, of course, the closest, with vampires second. To reach one's inner animal brought a sense of utter peace and complete destruction at the same time.

Ginevra's eyes closed for a second as she reached her inner animal. What had once been a horse, as her Patronus had been, now resembled something terrifying. It looked more apocalyptic and death-bringing than anything else; a black skeletal horse covered in blood-red veins, with crimson hooves and eyes. Those eyes turned towards Ginevra's as they closed, met with understanding, and then the moment was over.

_There were more important things to do_.

Ginevra opened her crimson eyes with a deep, primal growl in her throat. The very sound shook the vampires to their cores, and Olia's eyes widened in fear.

Draco smirked, then he reached for his inner animal as well. A white leopard skeleton with grey veins and eyes turned to him, almost indifferently. It nodded its head once, and then Draco's eyes opened as well. Ice grey, they seemed to hold every storm within them, and Draco's nails turned into sharp claws.

As one, Ginevra and Draco advanced on Olia, danger in their every move and action.

Olia was stuck, frozen in fear. She couldn't look away from their terrifying beauty, let alone run away from the danger they represented. She desperately wanted to run from them, and she too, tried to reach her inner animal. The fear she was feeling, the fear that beings more superior were on the hunt for her blood, made it too difficult to find her inner animal. It was in fact, cowering deep within Olia, and refused to show itself, even though it knew its death would soon arrive. The small bear, despite being powerful in its own right, was nothing compared to these two creatures, and knew it.

All eyes were focused on Draco and Ginevra. Even Carmilla, who was now awake and drowsy from the hit to the head, couldn't look away from them.

No one noticed Blaise's fallen form behind Olia, and he preferred it that way. He had been watching the fight for some time, not through his human self, as that body was now broken beyond repair, but through his own inner animal. The black phoenix watched everything silently, hardly making a movement to show the slight shimmer of equally jet-black veins on its body. They were both waiting patiently, and even when Blaise saw Nike's death, he couldn't do anything but mourn in silence.

The phoenix was growing within him, the black skeleton turning into into a beautiful black-feathered bird. Blaise admired him for a moment, then the phoenix turned their attention back to Olia, who was coming towards them as their lovers advanced on her. It was almost time.

Her attention transfixed on Draco and Ginevra, Olia still didn't notice that Blaise was behind her. When she was close enough, the phoenix lifted Blaise's body, its black wings wrapping around Olia's body. She didn't even have time to cry out in surprise, and then they were burning.

At first no one knew what had happened. First, Olia had been moving away from the two advancing vampires, and then not even a heartbeat later, she was covered in black flames and burning.

Black fire enveloped them, and the phoenix held onto Olia tighter as she struggled in its grasp. Blaise added as much of his own waning strength as possible, holding her wrists in his hands as the fire started to burn its way to her still heart. The fire continued to burn through Olia and into his own body, but the phoenix shielded him protectively.

The fire raged on, but it didn't leave the two bodies it encompassed. All those in the balcony above watched in morbid fascination, while Draco and Ginevra stared at their lover, hoping that he would survive.

The phoenix began to cry out in pain as the fire started to burn him, and then into Blaise's body. The remaining ounce of Blaise's power faded as Olia died and the last of her body burned away. The phoenix continued to burn, and Blaise's body fell forward, his mind plunged into darkness.

Ginevra and Draco leapt forward, catching their lover's body before he hit the ground. The fire latched onto them, and they burned amongst a thundering of applause from the gallery of vampires above.

"Make sure your wife does not attempt to help them, Sanguini. She will not survive this unnatural fire," Eldest murmured.

Sanguini nodded, and Called his wife up to him. Carmilla looked up, and jumped to the balcony, sitting on the rail delicately.

"We will help them once the fire has burned itself out?" she asked Eldest, without looking away from her husband.

"If there is anything left," Eldest agreed with a nod.

The vampires left the gallery, no longer interested now that the fight had finished.

"I will stay," Carmilla murmured to her husband, turning around to watch the burning vampires below.

Sanguini nodded, and sat next to his wife. For the first time in many years, he held her hand as they sat side by side watching the minutes kill.

...

Thank you for reading the sixth instalment! Hope you enjoyed it.

**Note:** the next instalment is the final in the series!

...


	7. Ending the minutes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter!

**Ships:**  
Draco / Ginevra / Blaise  
Canon Character (Sanguini) / Canon Character (Carmilla Sanguina)  
Original Character (Olia) / Original Character (Hunter)

_The seventh and final instalment of the Halloween series_!

**Happy Halloween**!

...

Blaise opened his eyes. He had an overwhelming desire to cough and rid his throat and lungs of soot, but as a vampire he didn't need to breathe much anyway, and his next feed would wash the soot down easily enough.

Realising that he didn't really feel thirsty, Blaise sat up with a slight frown. He discovered that Draco and Ginevra were lying on beds on either side of him, and they both had bags of blood flowing into them through a needle in their hands. Looking at his own hand, Blaise pulled the small piece of metal out with a slight grimace. _Such a Muggle way to keep them alive. But he supposed it had worked..._

"You're the first to heal. Although, I'm not too surprised, considering your inner animal," a voice murmured behind Blaise.

Blaise didn't start; he'd heard Sanguini enter the room silently while he'd been taking the needle from his hand.

"I would like to take Draco and Ginevra home, if you don't mind. They will require fresh blood, and will not be pleased with these bags," he said to Sanguini.

"Eldest would like to talk to you first," Sanguini replied, sounding apologetic.

"I would not like to talk to him. You and Carmilla were the only two to watch after us. Eldest left the moment the fight had finished. I will talk to no others," Blaise said, turning to look at Sanguini properly.

Sanguini let out a small hiss on seeing Blaise's appearance. His eyes were black, one pupil red and the other a stormy grey.

"Your eyes..." Sanguini tried to explain, seeing Blaise's curious look.

"Yes, I know. Draco and Ginevra will be the same," Blaise said, looking back to his lovers. "We will be going now. Tell your Council member that both you and Carmilla require seats on the Council. If this request is not met, then we will dispose of them in the same way as we did Olia."

Sanguini nodded his head curtly.

"You once asked us what you could do for us after we killed Olia. I would like you to look after the dogs and Thestral for us. We'll collect them when they're ready to forgive us for Nike's death," Blaise murmured, sounding sad.

"I will look after them as if they were my own," he replied.

Taking the robe that was at the end of the bed, Blaise slipped it on as he stood up. He took the needles out of his lovers hands, and stroked their hands softly, looking down at them tenderly.

"One more thing, Sanguini," Blaise added, not looking away from them. "Carmilla's reward is on her dresser. Tell her to use it wisely."

Sanguini looked more than confused at that statement; _what on earth could Blaise possibly give to Carmilla that _**_he_**_ couldn't_? Before he had time to question it, Blaise, Ginevra and Draco disappeared without so much as a flurry of wind or a tell-tale pop.

With a small sigh, Sanguini left to tell Eldest the news.

...

Carmilla waited in her room impatiently. Sanguini was supposed to be back by now with news on the vampire trio. She paced fruitlessly, murmuring under her breath every so often.

A tiny light came from her dresser, and with a frown, Carmilla walked over to investigate. It wasn't a light from a candle; Sanguini had taken most of her candles since the time she'd turned one into a Babylon candle with her latest victim's blood.

Seeing a small dish of grey powder with a note next to it, Carmilla opened the note curiously. As she read it, a smile lit up her face far brighter than a tiny light from a dresser.

_Carmilla,_

_Your reward is in the dish. While the blood of a vampire child is ten times more potent than that of three mortals, the ashes of such a vampire are even better to retain your beauty._

_A word of warning: do not overuse or misuse this gift. We will know, and you will be punished accordingly._

_Blaise, Ginevra, Draco_.

...

Blaise tended to his lovers patiently and tenderly, making sure they had everything they needed. While he had been burning, they had reached out to catch him, the fire consuming them as well. They were lucky to be in touch with their inner animals at the time, or else they would have become dust and ashes like Olia. Their animals had protected them until Blaise's phoenix could take the fire back again.

Their animals were scorched and burned badly, and Blaise had to tend to their wounds as well as the physical ones on his lovers. Draco's arm was starting to heal itself, although there would always be a white scar where Olia had bitten the flesh from his limb. Ginevra's scars were healing up quite nicely, but a few were too deep to heal properly, and her legs would probably have the scars for the rest of her life.

Blaise beckoned the mortal to him, and she hurried over willingly, offering her wrists over the small wooden bowl. He smiled at her charmingly as his nail cut the soft flesh, making sure she would feel no pain. He didn't want the pain of a stranger to add to the pain he already felt for his lovers. He healed the wounds, and she returned to the corner once more. Taking the bowl, Blaise gently fed Draco and Ginevra, the phoenix checking on the horse and leopard at the same time.

_Their minds are healing quickly, and they are anxious to return to us. They will be awake soon_, the phoenix reassured him.

Blaise hoped that they would wake soon. For all three of them, one minute had just ended and their future was, once more, waiting to begin...

...

End of the Halloween Minutes series!

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

...


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